1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a water level monitoring and signaling device for use with a toilet to indicate when the flush tank is not functioning properly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional toilets used in homes and apartments have a water flush tank and a bowl. Water is admitted through a flow valve to the tank where it is stored for later use. A flush valve at the bottom of the tank provides a rubber ball type member seated atop a pipe that conveys water to the toilet bowl. When the toilet is flushed the ball member is lifted from the pipe and stored water rushes from the tank into the toilet bowl.
Because of most local code requirements, each time a toilet is flushed it is estimated that approximately 5 to 10 gallons of water are expelled from the flush tank to adequately cleanse the bowl. In addition to this required use of water, there is the added concern with the occasional failure of the flush valve to properly seat as required to shut off water flow from the tank and permit the tank to refill. Each time the flush valve functions improperly, not only is the toilet inoperable for a period of time, but there is a waste of water.
Furthermore, failure of the water flow valve, used to shut off the flow of water after the tank is filled, causes the tank to overflow with excess water being drained out via an overflow pipe.
Water has always been a very valued commodity as indicated by the increasing use of water meters and the high rates charged for water. Additionally, from a safety and sanitation standpoint, continuous running of water through a toilet can cause flooding of a septic system with clean toilet water which, while not a health hazard in itself, will soak a septic field and hinder the field's ability to absorb and discharge sewage water as efficiently as if the field were drier.
In large apartment or hotel complexes the concurrent running of a number of toilets can cause an undesirable pressure drop in the water system and adversely affect water distribution.
Prior devices which have attempted to provide a shut-off or monitoring system to detect when a flush tank is not properly filling have included devices such as that disclosed by the Biniores U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,243 (1973). This patent discloses a flush tank valve aimed at shutting off water flow in the event the water closet breaks, causing water within the tank to fall lower than a normal low level point. No provision is made for signaling when the toilet water system is not functioning properly.
The patent to Pariser et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,138,024 (1964) discloses a liquid level monitoring device whereby a float has a rod connected thereto that moves up and down along a scale to indicate the level of water within the tank. Intermittently, a horizontally arranged probe is actuated to move toward the float supported rod. If the rod has been lowered below the level of the horizontal probe the probe will travel an added distance and contact a switch or other device that actuates a pump to raise the level of water within the tank. Unlike this invention, the Pariser liquid level indicating control requires intermittent operation of a control rod which requires a permanent electrical power supply, or it will result in drainage of batteries if there is a portable power supply being used.